Fundamental principles of Vasthu Sastra

VASTHU Sastra focuses on five fundamental principles:

1. Doctrine of orientation

It gives importance and relevance to the eight cardinal directions. They are north, south , east , west, north-east, north-west, south-east and south-west.

The sun rises in the east and its rays are a rich source of vitamin D which is vital for the sustenance of life on earth.

The early morning rays, which emit less heat, are the best. Doors and windows in the east would allow the sun’s ultraviolet rays to bestow light upon the occupants of the house.

For this reason east and the northeast are given the most prominent place in Vasthu Sastra.

This is followed by north, the direction of wealth, fame and prosperity.

This is why fewer doors and windows are recommended in the west and south-west.

After fixing the north and east points for the construction of a building, the rest of the building can be mapped out.

2. Plot planning

The house is compared to the human body. Both a dweller and the building are nothing but a mass of vibrating energy. The various parts of the human body perform different functions; when superimposed on the drawing of the house, this understanding gives full importance to the doctrine of orientation. In other words, the diagram shows where the entrance, hall kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, etc. should be located. Just as our legs should be strong enough to carry the weight of the whole body, so should the south-west corner of the building be built in such a way that it can bear the weight of the whole structure of the building . This area receives more heat and therefore Vasthu Sastra suggests that the walls in this area be made thicker. The eyes, mouth, ears, nose, together with the brain, should be in the northeast direction. Therefore this area should not be burdened with heavy structures.

3. Proportionate measurement

Vasthu Sastra measurement of one foot for construction of houses should not be done with the scale of 12 inches; rather a foot in Vasthu Sastra means the length of the dweller’s foot.

4. Six main components of a building

These are the base (foundation), column, entablature, wings, roof and dome.

5. Aesthetics of the building

Having constructed the building according to Vasthu Sastra, the beauty of the structure is then attended to . Here importance is given to the proper arrangement of part of the building to give a balanced appearance.

Before you embark on checking the Vasthu Sastra of your house, it is imperative that you understand and distinguish between direction and quadrant. The direction that you or any object face or point towards is the north indicated by a compass needle.

The quadrant, on the other hand, is the section of the building or plot where you are. Divide the building or plot into nine squares; each square is a quadrant.

Vasthu Sastra

It is believed that Vasthu Sastra developed sometime between 10,000 BC and subsequently one can find reference to it in the holy epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata, in an era when philosophy was a way of life.